Electro-Harmonix rounds off its POG Series with a new 5-Controls Pico Edition which is more potent than its larger Micro and Nano siblings

The Pico POG is just the second of EHX’s Pico (actual Mini enclosure size) Series where from background shots it looks like we have at least another 6 EHX Pico edition pedals waiting in the wings for imminent release. I believe all recent previous POGs were DSP circuits - like this Pico Edition, where this smallest variety out-muscles some of its siblings with new and extended features.

Of course it cannot compete with the full-fat POG 2 featured in the above visual - while it has more to offer than both its larger Micro and Nano siblings - coming in with 5 controls in place of their classic 3. Meaning that in addition to Dry, Sub Octave and Octave Up Level controls, we now also have a Tone knob and a small Filter (Tone Mode) button at the top of the unit.

Controls - Filter (Tilt / LPF / HPF Tone Modes), Sub Octave, Octave Up, Dry, Tone.

The new Tone knob controls the frequency response of your signal - based on the Mode selected by the new Filter button - which actually flips between one of 3 Tone Modes ever time you press it :

• GREEN Mode - Tone acts as Tilt-EQ : < More Bass / Less Treble CCW | Flat in the Middle | More Treble / Less Bass CW >
• RED Mode - this is a Low Pass Filter / Hi-Cut
• ORANGE Mode - High Pass Filter / Low-Cut

All other controls are per previous editions - where you control the levels of the 3 voicings - Sub Octave, Dry / Root, and Upper Octave.

The POG has long been a staple of Pro boards - in particular the Micro edition - which you see everywhere. The Pros are generally less happy with the Nano edition which doesn’t quite seem to capture the full flavour of the previous POG classics for some reason. 

Much like EHX’s Memory Man delays have always had a very distinct tone and character to them - so is the case with the POG (Polyphonic Octave Generator) series of Octavers - a very distinctively voiced series - particularly renowned for making exceptional pseudo analog Organ sounds.

The Pico takes standard 9V DC [-] supply and has a circa 100mA Current Draw.

It’s key features are as follows :

• Lightning-fast tracking with perfectly precise octave tones
• 3 volume knobs that control level of SUB OCTAVE, OCTAVE UP, and DRY tones
• TONE knob with 3 filter Modes - Green, Red and Orange
• Green Tone Mode applies Tilt-EQ to all outputs
• Red Tone Low Pass Mode applies a resonant low pass filter, which allows low frequencies to pass while cutting higher frequencies of the Sub and Octave Up voices
• Orange Tone High Pass Mode applies a high pass filter, which allows high frequencies to pass while cutting lower frequencies of the Sub and Octave Up voices
• Power adapter included

It’s interesting that the first Slap-Back Echo Pico pedal was priced at just $81, while the new Pico POG is drawing slight sticker shock at $240.

While when you look at the full family photo above, the pricing kind of makes sense as the Pico offers up more than both the Micro and Nano versions do - and pricing-wise sits slap-bang in the middle of those two options.

Will be interesting to see just how many Pro players switch out their beloved Micro POGs for the new and improved extended-features, more pedalboard-friendly Pico edition.

The different Tone Filter Modes certainly add a huge amount to the pedal’s versatility - so it will be interesting to see how exactly players best put those new features to use.

Overall a really decent release once you get over the sticker shock - and one that certainly warrants consideration!

Available for orders right now at all the usual international dealers.